prester john-第12章

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　about　it。　　It　grew　very　hot；　the　sand　rose　and　choked　me；　the　mopani　trees　with　their　dull　green　wearied　me；　the　'Kaffir　queens'　and　jays　and　rollers　which　flew　about　the　path　seemed　to　be　there　to　mock　me。　About　half…way　home　I　found　a　boy　and　two　horses；　and　roundly　I　cursed　him。　　It　seemed　that　my　pony　had　returned　right　enough；　and　the　boy　had　been　sent　to　fetch　me。　　He　had　got　half…way　before　sunset　the　night　before；　and　there　he　had　stayed。　　I　discovered　from　him　that　he　was　scared　to　death；　and　did　not　dare　go　any　nearer　the　Rooirand。　　It　was　accursed；　he　said；　for　it　was　an　abode　of　devils；　and　only　wizards　went　near　it。　　I　was　bound　to　admit　to　myself　that　I　could　not　blame　him。　At　last　I　had　got　on　the　track　of　something　certain　about　this　mysterious　country；　and　all　the　way　back　I　wondered　if　I　should　have　the　courage　to　follow　it　up。



CHAPTER　V　MR　WARDLAW　HAS　A　PREMONITION



A　week　later　the　building　job　was　finished；　I　locked　the　door　of　the　new　store；　pocketed　the　key；　and　we　set　out　for　home。　Sikitola　was　entrusted　with　the　general　care　of　it；　and　I　knew　him　well　enough　to　be　sure　that　he　would　keep　his　people　from　doing　mischief。　　I　left　my　empty　wagons　to　follow　at　their　leisure　and　rode　on；　with　the　result　that　I　arrived　at　Blaauwildebeestefontein　two　days　before　I　was　looked　for。

I　stabled　my　horse；　and　went　round　to　the　back　to　see　Colin。　（I　had　left　him　at　home　in　case　of　fights　with　native　dogs；　for　he　was　an　ill　beast　in　a　crowd。）　I　found　him　well　and　hearty；　for　Zeeta　had　been　looking　after　him。　　Then　some　whim　seized　me　to　enter　the　store　through　my　bedroom　window。　　It　was　open；　and　I　crawled　softly　in　to　find　the　room　fresh　and　clean　from　Zeeta's　care。　　The　door　was　ajar；　and；　hearing　voices；　I　peeped　into　the　shop。

Japp　was　sitting　on　the　counter　talking　in　a　low　voice　to　a　big　native　…　the　same　'Mwanga　whom　I　had　bundled　out　unceremoniously。　　I　noticed　that　the　outer　door　giving　on　the　road　was　shut；　a　most　unusual　thing　in　the　afternoon。　　Japp　had　some　small　objects　in　his　hand；　and　the　two　were　evidently　arguing　about　a　price。　　I　had　no　intention　at　first　of　eavesdropping；　and　was　just　about　to　push　the　door　open；　when　something　in　Japp's　face　arrested　me。　　He　was　up　to　no　good；　and　I　thought　it　my　business　to　wait。

The　low　tones　went　on　for　a　little；　both　men　talking　in　Kaffir；　and　then　Japp　lifted　up　one　of　the　little　objects　between　finger　and　thumb。　　It　was　a　small　roundish　stone　about　the　size　of　a　bean；　but　even　in　that　half　light　there　was　a　dull　lustre　in　it。

At　that　I　shoved　the　door　open　and　went　in。　　Both　men　started　as　if　they　had　been　shot。　　Japp　went　as　white　as　his　mottled　face　permitted。　　'What　the　…'　he　gasped；　and　he　dropped　the　thing　he　was　holding。

I　picked　it　up；　and　laid　it　on　the　counter。　　'So；'　I　said；　'diamonds；　Mr　Japp。　　You　have　found　the　pipe　I　was　looking　for。　　I　congratulate　you。'

My　words　gave　the　old　ruffian　his　cue。　　'Yes；　yes；'　he　said；　'I　have；　or　rather　my　friend　'Mwanga　has。　　He　has　just　been　telling　me　about　it。'

The　Kaffir　looked　miserably　uncomfortable。　　He　shifted　from　one　leg　to　the　other；　casting　longing　glances　at　the　closed　door。

'I　tink　I　go；'　he　said。　　'Afterwards　we　will　speak　more。'

I　told　him　I　thought　he　had　better　go；　and　opened　the　door　for　him。　　Then　I　bolted　it　again；　and　turned　to　Mr　Japp。

'So　that's　your　game；'　I　said。　　'I　thought　there　was　something　funny　about　you；　but　I　didn't　know　it　was　I。D。B。　you　were　up　to。'

He　looked　as　if　he　could　kill　me。　　For　five　minutes　he　cursed　me　with　a　perfection　of　phrase　which　I　had　thought　beyond　him。　　It　was　no　I。D。B。；　he　declared；　but　a　pipe　which　'Mwanga　had　discovered。　'In　this　kind　of　country？'　I　said；　quoting　his　own　words。　'Why；　you　might　as　well　expect　to　find　ocean　pearls　as　diamonds。　　But　scrape　in　the　spruit　if　you　like；　you'll　maybe　find　some　garnets。'

He　choked　down　his　wrath；　and　tried　a　new　tack。　　'What　will　you　take　to　hold　your　tongue？　　I'll　make　you　a　rich　man　if　you'll　come　in　with　me。'　　And　then　he　started　with　offers　which　showed　that　he　had　been　making　a　good　thing　out　of　the　traffic。

I　stalked　over　to　him；　and　took　him　by　the　shoulder。　　'You　old　reprobate；'　I　roared；　'if　you　breathe　such　a　proposal　to　me　again；　I'll　tie　you　up　like　a　sack　and　carry　you　to　Pietersdorp。'

At　this　he　broke　down　and　wept　maudlin　tears；　disgusting　to　witness。　　He　said　he　was　an　old　man　who　had　always　lived　honestly；　and　it　would　break　his　heart　if　his　grey　hairs　were　to　be　disgraced。　　As　he　sat　rocking　himself　with　his　hands　over　his　face；　I　saw　his　wicked　little　eyes　peering　through　the　slits　of　his　fingers　to　see　what　my　next　move　would　be。

'See　here；　Mr　Japp；'　I　said；　'I'm　not　a　police　spy；　and　it's　no　business　of　mine　to　inform　against　you。　　I'm　willing　to　keep　you　out　of　gaol；　but　it　must　be　on　my　own　conditions。　　The　first　is　that　you　resign　this　job　and　clear　out。　　You　will　write　to　Mr　Colles　a　letter　at　my　dictation；　saying　that　you　find　the　work　too　much　for　you。　　The　second　is　that　for　the　time　you　remain　here　the　diamond　business　must　utterly　cease。　　If　'Mwanga　or　anybody　like　him　comes　inside　the　store；　and　if　I　get　the　slightest　hint　that　you're　back　at　the　trade；　in　you　go　to　Pietersdorp。　　I'm　not　going　to　have　my　name　disgraced　by　being　associated　with　you。　　The　third　condition　is　that　when　you　leave　this　place　you　go　clear　away。　　If　you　come　within　twenty　miles　of　Blaauwildebeestefontein　and　I　find　you；　I　will　give　you　up。'

He　groaned　and　writhed　at　my　terms；　but　in　the　end　accepted　them。　　He　wrote　the　letter；　and　I　posted　it。　　I　had　no　pity　for　the　old　scamp；　who　had　feathered　his　nest　well。　　Small　wonder　that　the　firm's　business　was　not　as　good　as　it　might　be；　when　Japp　was　giving　most　of　his　time　to　buying　diamonds　from　native　thieves。　　The　secret　put　him　in　the　power　of　any　Kaffir　who　traded　him　a　stone。　　No　wonder　he　cringed　to　ruffians　like　'Mwanga。

The　second　thing　I　did　was　to　shift　my　quarters。　　Mr　Wardlaw　had　a　spare　room　which　he　had　offered　me　before；　and　now　I　accepted　it。　　I　wanted　to　be　no　more　mixed　up　with　Japp　than　I　could　help；　for　I　did　not　know　what　villainy　he　might　let　me　in　for。　　Moreover；　I　carried　Zeeta　with　me；　being　ashamed　to　leave　her　at　the　mercy　of　the　old　bully。　　Japp　went　up　to　the　huts　and　hired　a　slattern　to　mind　his　house；　and　then　drank　heavily　for　three　days　to　console　himself。

That　night　I　sat　smoking　with　Mr　Wardlaw　in　his　sitting…　room；　where　a　welcome　fire　burned；　for　the　nights　on　the　Berg　were　chilly。　　I　remember　the　occasion　well　for　the　queer　turn　the　conversation　took。　　Wardlaw；　as　I　have　said；　had　been　working　like　a　slave　at　the　Kaffir　tongues。　　I　talked　a　kind　of　Zulu　well　enough　to　make　myself　understood；　and　I　could　follow　it　when　spoken；　but　he　had　real　scholarship　in　the　thing；　and　knew　all　about　the　grammar　and　the　different　dialects。　Further；　he　had　read　a　lot　about　native　history；　and　was　full　of　the　doings　of　Tchaka　and　Mosilikatse　and　Moshesh；　and　the　kings　of　old。　　Having　little　to　do　in　the　way　of　teaching；　he　had　made　up　for　it　by　reading　omnivorously。　　He　used　to　borrow　books　from　the　missionaries；　and　he　must　have　spent　half　his　salary　in　buying　new　ones。

To…night　as　he　sat　and　puffed　in　his　armchair；　he　was　full　of　stories　about　a　fellow　called　Monomotapa。　　It　seems　he　was　a　great　black　emperor　whom　the　Portuguese　discovered　about　the　sixteenth　century。　　He　lived　to　the　north　in　Mashonaland；　and　had　a　mountain　full　of　gold。　　The　Portuguese　did　not　make　much　of　him；　but　they　got　his　son　and　turned　him　into　a　priest。

I　told　Wardlaw　that　he　was　most　likely　only　a　petty　chief；　whose　exploits　were　magnified　by　distance；　the　same　as　the　caciques　in　Mexico。　　But　the　schoolmaster　would　not　accept　this。

'He　must　have　been　a　big　man；　Davie。　　You　know　that　the　old　ruins　in　Rhodesia；　called　Zimbabwe；　were　long　believed　to　be　Phoenician　in　origin。　　I　have　a　book　here　which　tells　all　about　them。　　But　now　it　is　believed　that　they　were　built　by　natives。　　I　maintain　that　the　men　who　could　erect　piles　like　that'　…　and　he　showed　me　a　picture　…　'were　something　more　than　petty　chiefs。'

Presently　the　object　of　this　conversation　appeared。　　Mr　Wardlaw　thought　that　we　were　underra